Time has come for Trump's revolution, and reflections on a Trump presidency

Your Turn

A couple years ago, I had a discussion with a colleague about fixing a failing business. He said, "Sometimes you need a revolution not an evolution when things are really bad." This was one of the most profound pieces of advice I have ever heard, and it applies to our government today.

Since Ronald Reagan, Republicans have mostly endeavored to evolve the political system rather than question it altogether. They have achieved limited success with marquee wins in 1994, 2000 and 2010. During this time, Republicans mostly fought to change the system from within through incremental change and a process of "evolution." But also during this time, Barack Obama created his own "revolution" that led to higher health care premiums, stagnant economic growth, reduced prominence globally and worsening race relations at home.

This created an inherently unstable political environment, one that was ripe for change.

Donald Trump realized a massive number of people questioned the entire system, and so he proposed a "revolution" of change. His tactics seemed bizarre, but they were designed to demonstrate rather than talk about a different approach. Actions speak louder than words, and Americans believed Trump would upend a system that neither party had actually changed.

Before Nov. 8, neither party really believed they could effect this level of change. Instead, they would fight over incremental changes from year to year while claiming periodic victories to appease their base. Trump has no intention of doing anything but fixing the broken system in Washington, which is why Americans elected him. In this way, Trump will endeavor to perform a full "revolution" of government and has no interest in evolutionary tactics.

I believe Trump will aggressively and adeptly challenge the dysfunctional structures of government. Obamacare is failing and must be completely dismantled and replaced with a market-based system. Our tax code needs a comprehensive overhaul by someone who knows the real impact of taxation. The VA should be razed and rebuilt or substantially outsourced. Our businesses need relief from the burdensome regulations of the government. Minority communities need quality education, security and job opportunities so they can realize the American Dream.

In these areas, Trump aims to revolutionize government to be by and for the people as our Founding Fathers intended.

When President Trump creates a "revolution" in government, it will cause tremendous pain to the entrenched bureaucratic interests in both parties. Failing businesses also push back from the reforms they need to grow. But after the pruning and re-shaping of a failing enterprise, new growth and success finally become available in a way never before thought possible.

With a new health-care system, people will have more money in their pockets and better health care. With a new tax code, businesses will become more profitable, hire more employees and bring capital back onshore.

By truly giving minorities the opportunities to achieve through their own merits rather than government programs, we will see racial healing and a more diverse society.

Trump started the campaign with the slogan "Make America Great Again," and President Trump will force a revolution in government to make our country great again.

— Eli Bremer

Eli Bremer is a former Olympian, entrepreneur and former chairman of the El Paso County GOP. He has a master's in political management from George Washington University and a bachelor's in economics from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Mike Maday

"They kilt us but they ain't whupped us yit."

—William Faulkner as quoted by Sen. Tim Kaine

As a key organizer in El Paso County for two Obama campaigns and a delegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention for Bernie Sanders, I admit I came late to my support for Hillary Clinton for president.

Many of my friends and family supported her much earlier. But on election day, like the majority of Coloradans and Americans, I cast my vote for Secretary Clinton.

Unlike some, who voted for a candidate they perceived as a lesser of two evils, I cast my vote for president enthusiastically.

Hillary Clinton has spent her life fighting the fights that make me a Democrat: health care for children, religious tolerance, a living wage, good schools, equal rights for all Americans and preserving our environment.

In this election it was easy to support Secretary Clinton on the issues. And the opportunity to elect an experienced, highly qualified woman as president was historic.

Missing that opportunity is beyond disappointing.

By the same token we need to acknowledge Donald Trump and his supporters' remarkable victory. I believe one of the enduring things about American democracy is that, as President Obama said, it is an "intramural game."

Despite our differences, after every election we are not Democrats or Republicans or Independents, we are Patriots, still working together to keep our country great. Mr. Trump's supporters articulated concerns we all share about our imperfect union: people left behind by a growing economy, corporations taking American jobs overseas and giving nothing back to the workers and communities they abandon, increased concentrations of wealth in the elites and a foreign policy that puts our military in harm's way in quagmires we cannot win.

While Mr. Trump framed these issues in anger, division and fear during the campaign, they are real and valid grievances. In some of his initial statements since his election victory, Mr. Trump has been generous in his commitment to bringing our country together to address these issues. I hope he becomes a president who governs in that spirit.

I share the disgust of most people who saw this election as the most divisive and mean-spirited in 50 years. I'm glad the election is over. We need to move on.

But it is important to remember that Americans will not tolerate a Twittered-up leader who brags about abusing women, mocks people with disabilities, threatens immigrants, cozies up to oligarchs foreign and domestic, demonizes people because of their religion and governs as a "post truth" president.

If any of this becomes the mark of Mr. Trump's presidency, it is game on. We will rise up as we have before, even if it means fighting the fights we have won before. And we are more than willing to fight new fights on issues important to our country.

We ain't whupped yit.

— Mike Maday

Mike Maday is a professional mediator in Colorado Springs and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.